'Hood Magazine-February 2014

February 2014

parent • child • family

TM

www.thehoodmagazine.com INSIDE:

Read, Read, Read!

Jump-start your child’s education the Best

Educational Toys

MEET

Teacher of theYear Mr. Nour

Tips and Tricks for Working Parents Sioux Empire’s Parenting Resource

You and baby For Baby’s Sake is a new resource for expectant moms and all South Dakota parents and families.

Give your baby the best possible start to a healthy life.

Find out more at forbabysakesd.com

February 2014

on the cover 9 Best Educational Toys

Boost your child’s growth and development with these top picks.

contents

Kristi Shanks Photography

TM

3

26 Teacher of the Year

32 Read, Read, Read!

pregnancy 6 Questions to Ask About Maternity Leave

How to plan for stress-free bonding time with your baby and time away from work.

baby 10 Why Toddlers Bite and What To Do

Prevention and intervention strategies.

child 12 Olympics Crafts for Kids

Prepare for your favorite Winter Olympics events.

14 Handwriting

Alicia Vermeys Photography

16 Extracurricular Activities

Five local families share how they manage their many extracurricular activities.

A critical but often overlooked developmental skill.

family 25 T he Power of Play

Encourage your child’s creativity with interactive, hands-on play.

29 H ow to Teach

Sequencing Skills at Home

parent 34 Is Your Child Gifted?

36 Sioux Falls Winter Activities for Kids

10

local

Kristi Shanks Photography

Read Carter’s nomination and meet Mr. Nour, an extraordinary 5th Grade teacher.

These free and low cost activities are fun for the whole family.

34 in every issue 4 Welcome

12 Kara’s Kreative 21 Calendar of Events 30 Menu Planning 38 Business Directory February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

welcome baby

TM

‘HOOD HAPPENINGS

President & Publisher Steffanie Liston-Holtrop Hoodlum Productions, LLC 605-366-1479 steff@thehoodmagazine.com

Ileana Photography

‘Hood out and about: ‘Hood was at the Sanford Pentagon December 13th for ‘Hood Night with the Skyforce. Thanks to all of you who joined us and enjoyed the game. Jaxon, son of Publisher Steff Liston-Holtrop, hung out with Nancy on the KSFY Morning Show.

Editor Hannah (Weise) Steck hannah@thehoodmagazine.com Design Director Ally Vogel 605-759-5615 ally@vogeldesignshop.com Social Media Director Jillian Lemons jillian@thehoodmagazine.com Advertising Account Executive Kelli Johnson 605-366-9357 kelli@thehoodmagazine.com Creative Ideas Director Kara Weber Cover photo by: Kristi Shanks Photography Contributing Photographers Kristi Shanks Photography Ileana Photography Alicia Vermeys Photography Seven Acre Photography Amanda’s Imagery Contributing Writers Lindsey Bendix, Amber Bruns, Michelle Sinning, Shauna Fox-Hamilton, Alyssa Kuecker, Richard E. Bavaria, Jeremy Brech, Stephanie Spaan, Shaina Herrmann ‘Hood on the Web Contributors Jennie Doyen, Dr. Angela Gulbranson, Heather DeWit, Sheila Rae, Shannon Nielsen, Amity Shay Neff

‘hood

March 2011

parent • child • family

om

‘HOOD HAPPENINGS Fun things to do with your kids INSIDE!

parent • child • family www.the

TM March 2013

www.thehoodmagazine.c

hoodmag

Summer Cam p Directory

azine.co

m

r Sucammmpes sign up for

UPCOMING EVENTS:

details inside

NEXT ISSUE:

Finding the Right

Camp for Your Fam ily

Sioux Empire ’s Parenting Resour ce

SUMMER CAMPS: It’s time to begin your summer planning! The next issue of ‘Hood is all about summer camps. Use our Summer Camp Directory to take the stress out of finding the right camp for your family.

Tell us about your summer camp tips on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you!

‘HOOD on the SOCIAL SCENE: 4|

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Summer Activities Fair Sunday, February 23, 1-3 pm Best Western Ramkota ‘Hood will be there!

Contributing Design Molly Bruggeman ‘Hood Panel Members Heather DeWit, Dee Di Memmo, Addie Graham-Kramer, Bobbi Nelson, Stephanie Spaan, Ashley Thompson, Amity Shay Neff, Jen Rothenbuehler, Melissa Williams Special thanks to Journey Elementary and Visions Eye Care & Vision Therapy Center for assistance with this issue’s photo shoot.

Reproduction or use of the contents of this magazine is prohibited.

‘Hood Magazine is published 9 times a year by Hoodlum Production, LLC and strives to publish only accurate information, however Hoodlum Production, LLC cannot be held responsible for consequences resulting from errors or omissions. All material in this magazine is the property of Hoodlum Production, LLC and cannot be reproduced without permission of the publisher. We welcome article proposals, story suggestions and unsolicited articles and will consider all submissions for publication. Please send your thoughts, ideas and submissions to Hoodlums@thehoodmagazine.com. Magazine feedback and advertising and marketing inquiries to steff@thehoodmagazine.com. ©2014 Hoodlum Productions, LLC All Rights Reserved.

‘Hood Online Content

TM

Invest in Yourself Many factors may influence your decision to go back to college later in life. Make an informed choice with these tips.

Kristi Shanks Photog raphy

on the WEB

An Important Step to Solving Reading Difficulties Watch for these five signs and determine if your child’s learning difficulties are related to an undiagnosed vision problem.

Alicia Vermeys Photography

7 Tips for Raising a Responsible Child From helping with household chores to taking care of the family pet, children who learn responsibility at a young age carry it with them through school and into adulthood.

Flourless Revolution: No Flour Use these suggestions to replace flour with healthier alternatives in your family’s meals and reap benefits such as weight control and fewer body aches and pains.

The Importance of Etiquette for Today’s Youth Model and teach your children respectful and well-mannered behavior using advice from the family of Jersey Nielsen, Young Miss South Dakota International 2014.

An Apple of Gold Remember the teachers who have made a difference in your life, and show appreciation for your child’s teacher using these simple ideas.

www.thehoodmagazine.com

February February2014 2014| | thehoodmagazine.com thehoodmagazine.com ||

5

Kristi Shanks Photography

pregnancy

?

??

By Sanford Health

maternity leave

Questions to Ask About

Before your baby arrives, you’ll want to talk with your employer and your human resources representative to make sure all of your questions are answered. Here are some questions to ask your employer before you head home to bond with your new baby.

6|

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Who is going to cover my duties while I’m away?

You’ll want to make sure that you discuss with your manager what will happen with your job duties while you are on leave. Your manager may plan to split your responsibilities between several people. If this is the case, you’ll want to find out who is doing what and make sure they have all the tools and information they need to cover you while you’re out.

How long is my job secure?

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in the United States, companies with 50 or more employees must allow new parents to take up to three months of leave to be with their new baby. However, if you work for a smaller company, you’ll want to clarify with your employer how long your job will be secure.

What is the pay policy for maternity leave?

Every company will have different policies. Speak with them to see if you’ll be receiving full or partial salary, if any.

Companies aren’t required by law to offer any sort of paid maternity leave. While the FMLA guarantees leave time, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be paid.

How do I add my baby to my health care plan?

Adding your baby to your health plan is something you will want to know about before heading out for maternity leave and before the baby is born. Health plans are different between insurance companies and from state to state so you’ll want to meet with your representative for more details.

Check to see if your company offers Flexible Spending Accounts – Dependent Care. A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account provides pre-tax reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses related to dependent care. While not all companies offer this, it is important to know if yours does so you can plan accordingly.

ational emphasis h an educthrough age 12. are wit Childc ldren from birth chi

What forms do I need to fill out for my leave?

You’ll want to talk to management about what is expected before you leave for maternity leave. You most likely will need to speak with the company’s human resources department to make sure you fill out any necessary forms for your maternity leave. It’s important to have everything completed so nothing will arise that will stress you out during what should be a wonderful time. Getting the paperwork finished before your baby arrives will be a load off your mind! n

p‘hood should Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The more you know, the better you will be prepared.

Ask abou Refer A t our Fri Credit end

FEATURES:

14th St. Learning Center

· Nationally Recognized Creative Curriculum for Academic Excellence · Nurturing and Engaging Staff · Lead Teachers with Degrees · Bright Day Café promoting Healthy Lifestyles · Fun Energized Environment · Community Based Outings · Kindermusik Classes A program of

824 E. 14th St. • (605) 338-8061 Infant - Age 12 6:30am – 6:00pm

Kiwanis Ave. Learning Center

506 N. Kiwanis Ave. • (605) 271-9900 Infant - Age 12 6:30am – 6:00pm

Eastside Learning Center

700 S. Sneve Ave. • (605) 339-2095 Infant - Age 12 5:45am – 6:30pm

57th St. Childcare Center OF THE SIOUX EMPIRE Eastside Club

BGCSiouxEmpire.org

5015 S. Crossing Pl. • (605) 334-1133 Infant - Age 5 5:45am – 6:30pm

Call or stop by any location for a tour!

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com |

7

Seven Acre Photography

baby

baby We have solutions for speech, language, and feeding/swallowing problems Our certified speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can work to improve your child’s communication and feeding issues.

■

■

■

■

Is your child’s speech hard to understand?

Do you think he/she should be speaking more?

Does your child understand language but can’t express it?

Does your school-age child have problems in social environments?

Does your infant or child avoid eating, or cough or choke when eating?

We can help. For a free screening or to schedule an appointment, Call (605) 444-9700.

8|

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

1020 W. 18th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57104-4707 www.cchs.org

by Lindsey Bendix, Manager, Eddy Joy Baby Boutique

THE Best Educational Toys for Infants and Toddlers

Visit

TM

o thenWEB

for more on th educational toe best toddlers and ys for infants

A baby gym can be used since birth and serves many different purposes. It encourages hand-eye coordination, depth perception, reaching, grasping, tummy play, and rolling. Attach toys with plastic links to hang them closer, encouraging baby to reach and grasp, and place toys at the side to encourage rolling. Unbreakable mirrors can be attached to the gym so baby can play with his or her reflection. It can also be used as motivation during tummy time. As your baby learns to crawl and sit up, he or she will continue to find uses for the gym.

Small squeezable bath toys actually have several uses that make them great toys for baby. Bath toys work great instead of fingerpuppets when performing for your newborn.

Their bright colors and fun shapes, along with your excellent performance skills, help to engage your baby’s senses. As your baby gets older they will make good teething toys, and they can be used well past the first year as they learn to squeeze and squirt them. Bath toys can also be used for pretend play, making bath time more fun.

baby

With the vast amount of toys out there, it can be overwhelming to pick out what’s best for your child. A toy should benefit your little one in several different ways, and it should be something that can grow with your child. There are many developmental skills a child is expected to learn in the first few years of life. That’s why it is important to find educational toys that will help him or her in discovery and growth.

9

High chair suction toys help babies learn how to use something other than their mouths to play with toys. It forces them to use just their hands and develop hand-eye coordination, depth perception, and learn cause and effect.

Skwish Stix has been nominated for 2014 Toy of the Year and is a great example of a suction toy.

It’s not always the newest, flashiest toys that are the best for your child. Sometimes the simple ones are the most educational. Watch out for toys that are full of buttons, lights, and music that seem to have no clear cause as your child is learning cause and effect. They may have many different functions, but the more the toy does, the less your child has to do, making it more entertaining than actually educational. n

p‘hood should Consider a toy’s developmental and educational benefits and ability to grow with your child before making a purchase.

Board books are important to introduce early in a child’s life. They are hard to destroy and usually contain images with contrast that will catch baby’s attention.

Board books can be used to encourage tummy time, and your baby can help turn the pages once they are able to sit. Books are a great learning tool at any age and will grow with your baby into his or her toddler years.

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Alicia Vermeys Photography

by Amber Bruns, MS, BCBA South West/West Central Service Cooperative

Why Toddlers What &to Do Bite Biting others is a common behavior that toddlers ages 1-3 occasionally engage in. It often results in an abrupt and excited response from the person who was bitten. Although we know it’s common, it often leaves us as parents feeling embarrassed and frustrated with our child who is biting. So why do they bite?

Toddlers may bite as a way to communicate if their language skills are not as developed as they need. They may use biting to say they want attention, to say they are mad, or to say they are in pain from teething. Toddlers may use biting to explore their surroundings, to gauge people around them, or to get a big reaction.

If we know some of the whys, we can look at some preventative strategies. If a child is teething, use teething rings and cool washrags to try and alleviate his or her pain. Continue to encourage and promote communication with your toddler.

Avoid situations that may lend themselves to biting (a play date, for example) when your child is irritable due to hunger or fatigue. Most importantly, ensure your toddler has enough access to love and attention throughout the day. www.abcdentalkids.com

This month we're celebrating National Children's Dental Health Month and look forward to educating kids about how to prevent cavities!

That's our mission all year long at ABC!

10 |

We may do all the preventative strategies, and biting can still occur. So what do we do? A firm, neutral response is recommending, such as: “No biting.” Along with that response a brief removal (a few seconds) of your attention would be ideal.

It could simply look like seating your toddler on the floor and turning away briefly. Crying from your toddler will likely ensue, but that’s okay. After a few seconds, you can take your child and move on to the next activity. There’s no need to continue to bring attention to the incident or continue to talk about it.

Oftentimes, the toddler is still in an elevated state following the bite and that really isn’t the time to try and teach them what’s right and wrong. You can work on that at another time. It’s important to remember to not continue to be angry or punish your child long after the biting has occurred. They likely won’t be able to remember and won’t be able to make the connection from a distant punishment and the biting incident.

Remember that biting is common. Stay calm and have a consistent response. In time, it will go away. If you are concerned or if frequent biting continues well after age three, speak with your child’s healthcare provider. n

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Kristi Shanks Photography

child 11

child

I E D A I R O GL Lutheran Preschool Fall 2014-2015 Classes M/T/W/TH/F 9:00-1130 5 yr olds M/T/W/TH 9:00-1130 4’s and 5’s M/W/F 12:45-3:15 4 yr olds M/W/F 9:00-11:30 4 yr olds T/W/TH 9:00-11:30 3 & 4 yr olds T/TH 9:00-11:30 3 yr olds

Gloria Dei Lutheran Preschool is a Christ-centered program offering children opportunities to grow and learn using developmentally appropriate activities in a loving and nurturing environment.

For more information visit www.gloriadei-sd.org under the preschool tab or call Sharon Claude, Director at 371-3737 ext 20. You can also reach Sharon via email at: Sharon.claude@gloriadei-sd.org Registration begins

Wednesday, January 8, 2014 Gloria Dei Lutheran Preschool 5500 E 57th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57108

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

child

by Kara Weber, Creative Ideas Director

Olympics Crafts for Kids!

The 2014 Winter Olympics is just around the corner.

Get ready with these fun, easy craft projects for the whole family.

1

Paper Plate Olympic Rings

Olympic Torch

Take five paper plates and cut out a circle in the middle to make a ring shape. Color one each blue, yellow, black, green, and red. Arrange them in the Olympic ring shape and use some tape or a stapler to attach them to each other. Hang up your rings for an easy Olympic decoration.

3 12 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

2

Trace your child’s handprint three times, once on red, once on yellow, and once on orange construction paper.

Cut out the handprints and attach them to the inside of a cardboard toilet paper tube so most of the hand and fingers stick out. The handprint cutouts make the flames.

Tin Foil Silver Medals Cut a 3-inch circle out of cardboard – an empty cereal box will work well. Use a cup to trace the circle shape. Cover the cardboard circle with tin foil to make it silver. Use a toothpick to draw (indent) decoration onto your medal. You can draw the Olympic rings or a number two or stars. Attach some thick ribbon with tape or glue to finish your medal so you can wear it.

In South Dakota, farmers work hard to take care of the land.

Jed Olbertson uses terracing, reduced tillage, filter strips, drain tiling and precision ag to minimize erosion, inputs and water run-off. As he says, “We don’t really own the land — we borrow it from our children.”

Jed Olbertson • Farmer • Beresford, SD See more of Jed’s story at thisisfarming.org February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

child

by Michelle Sinning, MS, OTR/L and Shauna Fox-Hamilton, MOTR/L Occupational Therapists at Children’s Care Hospital and School

Handwriting

A Critical but Overlooked Developmental Skill Handwriting is an important skill that impacts not only a child’s education, but also a child’s development.

Handwriting plays an important role in brain development and enhances neural activity in the brain. It sets the foundation for other abilities like reading, language use, writing, and critical thinking. Handwriting helps develop a child’s fine motor skills, visual motor skills, and coordination, which are required to become independent with daily living skills, including dressing, eating, using the bathroom, grooming, and play.

Photo courtesy of CCHS

Children can develop adequate handwriting skills by spending just 15 minutes daily working on handwriting. Some children show little interest in handwriting, which can make participation in handwriting activities difficult at home. Using a multisensory approach to handwriting can make for a fun and more interactive way to develop writing skills while appealing to various types of learners, such as auditory learners, visual leaners, tactile/hands-on learners, and kinesthetic/movement learners.

Below is a list of various multisensory activities that can help make practicing handwriting at home and school a fun and rewarding experience for your child. These activities are great for children of all ages, including preschoolers who are learning to identify letters of the alphabet, kindergarteners who are learning to write the uppercase and lowercase letters, and 1st and 2nd graders who are learning to print sentences and write stories. They can also be used with older children who need to improve handwriting skills, as well as children who are learning cursive.

• C orrect posture and desk size: Feet should rest on the floor and the tabletop should be elbow height • C orrect grasp: For preschoolers and kindergarteners, use smaller writing utensils for writing and coloring to develop age-appropriate grasp (golf pencils, broken crayons, Pipsqueak markers) • Demonstrate! Use large step-by-step visual directions and consistent language to teach correct letter formation

• W rite letters in shaving cream, sand, rice, and paint • “Sky write” letters in the air • M ake letters out of Play-Doh or clay • P ut paint or colored water in a squirt bottle and squirt letters in snow or on the sidewalk • W rite with sidewalk chalk • U se bathtub crayons to write letters in the tub • G el writing: Fill a Ziploc™ bag with gel and seal it (can add food coloring or glitter) • M ake letters out of popsicle sticks, Q-tips, or yarn • T race letters on the door before leaving the house or room • U se music to teach writing skills. Handwriting Without Tears® has three CDs available for purchase • Use flashcards, books, and alphabet posters to point to letters and sing the ABC’s to help children learn to identify letters • Use a variety of different writing surfaces, including chalkboards, white boards, easels, or paper Make it fun! Be positive! n

14 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

WASHINGTON PAVILION

SPRING CLASSES

301 S. Main, Downtown Sioux Falls 605 | 367 | 6000 www.washingtonpavilion.org www.facebook.com/washpav

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com |

15

local

Interviews by Hannah Steck

How Families Manage Extracurricular Activities

Reindl Family How did your family choose which activity or activities to participate in?

What influenced your decision? When the kids were younger, we let them try different activities. As they got older, they chose the ones that interested them the most.

What are your children’s favorite activities? Why? The older two boys, Braydon and Keaton, are very into soccer. They played basketball through middle school and also participate in quiz bowl. Keaton is also in band and choir and experienced marching band for the first time this year. Our third son, Trey, tries a little bit of everything.

Right now he is on the bowling team and might try tennis this spring. He is also in orchestra. Chance is our golfer.

He tried soccer but didn’t really like it.

Kennedy loves soccer and just finished out her first season of basketball. She has been in gymnastics and is currently in ballet.

What is your favorite activity to attend? Why? My favorite activity to watch is soccer. I love to watch the athleticism that soccer requires. How much the kids enjoy it is also amazing to watch.

How has being involved in activities impacted your family? Being involved in so many

16 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

activities has impacted the way the family spends our time by being very schedule oriented. We rely on the calendar to keep us on track. Between practices and games and church activities, we are gone many nights of the week. Everyone has to pitch in to help. By being so busy there are some things that have to take the backseat, and the kids know that we do our best to make it to everything possible. Very rarely is there a game that someone isn’t there watching. Luckily I am a stay-at-home mom and can be there when I am needed, and Jim’s job allows him to work on the run sometimes, too. Grandma Bev has even pitched in to help.

Are you involved in the community or any activities of your own? Please explain. I am very involved in the Fred Assam Elementary PTA. I bowl in a league on Tuesday afternoons and I help with the elementary Sunday school music in our church, too.

What benefits do you see from participating in activities? Are there any challenges or disadvantages? The kids have learned time management through knowing that if they have practice or games they have a certain amount of time to complete homework and chores. They also have learned teamwork and are learning leadership skills. There are a few disadvantages, one of them being they have to go watch their siblings a lot, even if they would rather stay home.

Family meals can also take a hit.

We try to eat together as much as possible, but there are times where one is going one way and another is headed somewhere else.

What advice do you have for other families involved in activities? My advice to others with kids in activities is not to overextend the kids. We let the kids try the activities they want to do, but especially when they are younger we try to limit them to one sport per season.

As they got into middle/high school and soccer and track overlapped, we allowed it but made the kids realize that if school suffered, they would have to choose Worried ab just one. too many acoutivt balancing ities? Visit Luckily they made it work! n on

How do you balance your family’s schedules? We really rely on the calendar to keep everything straight. My calendar is linked to my desktop, tablet and phone so we know at any point what the schedule is. We have been able to balance everything because everyone enjoys what they do and make it work.

TM

the WEB

to learn the w arning signs of extracurricu lar burnout.

vantages? I can tell that it’s good for her social skills. Ava is very shy at first but then she comes out of her shell – big time. I love that she has different friends in different groups.

How did your family choose which activity or activities to participate in? What influenced your decision? Our daughter, Ava, loves music and dancing. We thought it would be good to start her out in ballet to see if she liked it. I knew Jackie Kriens from my former job and my office is directly across the street from her dance studio, The Dance Gallery of SD. I can see the girls dancing in upstairs dance studios from my desk and I thought it was a no brainer to take Ava there. Ava is also in Girl Scouts, and she loves getting together with all of her friends.

What are your child’s favorite activities? Why? Ava really likes dancing and singing. She was in the Nutcracker this year, and she really loved it. I think she enjoys all the pretty costumes,

makeup, and being on stage. We plan to get her in a few more classes in the next few years.

What is your favorite activity to attend? Why? Right now it is dance class because I like that there is some structure to it and I can see how she listens when the instructor is teaching the children.

How has being involved in activities impacted your family? It’s pretty busy, but I feel like a busy person is a happy person.

Ava’s dad is great about driving her to her activities as well, so it’s pretty organized.

What benefits do you see from participating in activities? Are there any challenges or disad-

local

Alexander Family

Are you involved in the community or any activities of your own? Please explain.

A big part of my career is coordinating volunteer activities for our employees. I help out with United Way and we have different events during the year where we volunteer or give funds to charities in the Sioux Empire.

17

How do you balance your family’s schedules? I think we do a pretty good job. I feel like it couldn’t be done without all of us working together. Ava’s dad, grandparents and other family members are a huge part of her life. I even have some close friends that will help me out if I need them to pick her up.

What advice do you have for other families involved in activities? I think it’s great for kids to be exposed to different things so they can see what they like and what they are good at. I was only in band when I was young, and part of that reason is because we moved a few times. I think I would have been more successful in school had I got more involved in sports and school activities. n

How did your family choose which activity or activities to participate in? What influenced your decision?

With three boys, we knew we were destined to be busy. We introduced them to various sports at a young age and now they each have their favorites – year round!

Payne Family

What are your children’s favorite activities? Why? Their favorite activity is typically the one they are currently in – whichever sport is in season!

However, with the great sporting facilities Sioux Falls has to offer, they are able to play sports such as baseball year round. continued > February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

local

Payne Family travel to and from their various activities, some starting as early as 5 pm.

What is your favorite activity to attend? Why? We love going to all of their games and now that they are all involved, we often have to tag team, which means missing some of them. That’s the toughest part.

How has being involved in activities impacted your family? Activities essentially dominate our family calendar. We are usually bringing someone to practice or a game every night of the week, and weekends in the summer are filled with travel and tournaments.

Tory also coaches some of the boys’ teams, so that requires additional time and commitment. I am often trying to coordinate “dinner-on-the-go” as we

What benefits do you see from participating in activities? Are there any challenges or disadvantages? They learn values such as good sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline, dedication and what it means to work hard for success. But, most importantly, they build friendships with their teammates and have fun! We often remind them that the minute it’s not fun anymore, they can be done. It is challenging to find balance with schoolwork, practice, church, all their activities and prioritizing family time.

Are you involved in the community or any activities of your own? Please explain. I am involved with Go Red for Women, Business and Professional Women, Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Estate Planning Council, the Chamber of Commerce

and Southeastern. Tory officiates high school football, recently served three years as our church treasurer and is currently on the Finance Committee.

We are both involved in various social clubs as well.

How do you balance your family’s schedules? A master calendar and lots of communication!

We are constantly texting about who is picking up or dropping off, what field or gym they are playing at and how we are getting everybody to where they need to go at the right time. It takes patience and a good sense of humor, too.

What advice do you have for other families involved in activities? Balance is the key.

Activities can take a lot of time and energy, so be sure to make time for just being together as a family. We cherish the rare dinners around the table and work hard to keep our priorities in check – faith, family, friends, and fun. Schoolwork comes first, but their activities add fun and, we believe, help to instill values we feel are important to defining who they become. n

How did your family choose which activity or activities to participate in?

What influenced your decision? Each of our four children has very different interests. We didn’t choose their activities; we provided opportunities for our children to participate in various activities and they “settled in” to the one they felt most comfortable with.

Randazzo Family 18 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

What are your children’s favorite activities? Why? Josh’s favorite activity is swimming.

He is on the Snowfox Swim Team. He used to be scared of the water, so we enrolled him in swim lessons. Shortly thereafter, he grew to love the sport and started swimming for Snowfox at the age of 9. He likes the competitiveness of the sport and being in the water. Julia’s favorite activity is dance.

She has been dancing since the age of 2 ½. Her favorite type of dance is Hip Hop because it’s fast paced and she

Saber loves piano, but he also is playing oboe in the school band this year.

In addition, he’s a Cub Scout, is active in church and helps out when we volunteer in the community.

Di Memmo Family are a lot of non-musical benefits that can be gleaned from it. We always have a variety of music playing around the house, and Saber now plays along! He also is part of Expressions at Harrisburg Endeavor, where they sing songs in sign language.

enjoys the music. Jamison’s favorite activity is Tae Kwon Do. He’s a thinker, and Tae Kwon Do provides him with the opportunity to use his mental and his physical attributes. Josie’s favorite activity is dance. She has been dancing since the age of 2 ½. Her favorite class is Tap. She likes the sound her shoes make when dancing and the dance routines.

has taught the kids how to interact with other children and the value of being a team player as well as how to focus on their own skills and talents.

It helps us connect as a family by supporting one another.

the children are involved with require our participation (volunteering, fundraising, carpooling, etc.). My husband and I are also members of a local gym, which has enabled us to maintain healthy lifestyles.

What benefits do you see from participating in activities? Are there any challenges or disadvantages? It provides the kids opportunities to learn to manage their time and keep physically fit. This is something our whole family has embraced as part of a healthy lifestyle. The only disadvantage we have seen is that a child can be put at a competitive disadvantage if they don’t get involved in an activity at an early age.

How do you balance your family’s schedules? We balance schedules by limiting the kids to one activity each. School and homework come first. We have found it’s easier to keep that at the forefront if we aren’t always in the car running to and/or from an activity.

What is your favorite activity to attend? Why? It’s hard to choose just one. We do enjoy swim meets. It’s fun to socialize with other parents not only from our team but also from teams in the tri-state area. We root for our kids individually as well as the team as a whole. We also enjoy the dance recitals every spring.

How has being involved in activities impacted your family? Being involved in activities

Are you involved in the community or any activities of your own? Please explain. As parents, many sports

19

How has being involved in activities impacted your family? We get nightly concerts!

Plus, as a way to introduce Saber to different types of music, we attend the symphony as well as Sioux Falls Jazz & Blues concerts. continued >

How did your family choose which activity or activities to participate in? What influenced your decision? From the time he was able to, Saber loved to make music.

He did Kindermusik as a preschooler, but we waited until he was in third grade to start piano lessons. Both my husband and I took piano, and there

What are your child’s favorite activities? Why?

local

What is your favorite activity to attend? Why? I love going to his weekly lesson, but I really love his recitals. It’s wonderful watching him develop self-confidence!

We also get treated to a concert every night.

Visit

TM

o thenWEB for more on ou story families r cover additional ph and otos.

What advice do you have for other families involved in activities? Let your children try as many activities as they desire until they find something they are truly passionate about. Once that occurs, limit the number of activities your child participates in so they can truly enjoy it and not feel overwhelmed. n February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

local

Di Memmo Family

What benefits do you see from participating in activities? Are there any challenges or disadvantages? The biggest benefits are learning to be disciplined and being rewarded by working towards a goal. Settling down to practice is the biggest challenge.

Are you involved in the community or any activities of your own? Please explain. I am blessed to be involved in the community, and I

20 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

encourage my family to be part of these experiences as well. As a family, we serve at the Banquet, Samaritan’s Feet shoe distributions, and are foster parents. I am involved with the March of Dimes, serving on the Family Advisory Council and participating with March for Babies. The American Heart Association is also a passion for me, since my grandmother died of stroke. I encourage Saber to give back, since we’ve been so blessed. This year is the first time he can really get involved, so he’s helped with pricing coats for Center of Hope and helping out with special events for Bright Start and the Family Visitation Center.

we take one day that is just us, with nothing scheduled.

How do you balance your family’s schedules? We use a color-coded calendar. As a family,

for more on ou story families r cover additional ph and otos.

What advice do you have for other families involved in activities? Encourage your child! We tried all different sports, and despite that not being our son’s strength, we always cheered him on.

We have a rule that you have to stick with whatever you sign up for at least one season or three months, depending on the activity. n Visit

o thenWEB

TM

Do want to see YOUR event listed HERE?

Visit our website and post your event. Our print calendar’s new design matches our online calendar. For additional information about the events listed, please check our website.‘Hood go to Magazine publishes the most recent information provided.

Please remember to call ahead to confirm event details. on

n Parent

n

0-3

n

4-6

Saturday, February 1

9:00 AM-12:00 PM Build a Race Car Home Depot Preregistration Required 9:30 AM-10:30 AM Cloth Diapering 101 Educated Mommy Preregistration Required 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Spectacular Saturdays: Pinch-a-Pet Pottery Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 6-7) $9 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Spectacular Saturdays: Ready, Set, Paint!

Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 8-10) $9 10:15 AM-11:00 AM Story Time Washington Pavilion

Monday, February 3 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Oak View Library 10:30 AM-11:30 AM Messy Mondays Kuehn Community Center 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Junior Actors: Castle Characters Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 6-7) $50 4:00 PM-5:30 PM Stagelights: Getting Into Character Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 8-10) $75 7:00 PM-7:35 PM Pajama Storytime Ronning Library

7-9

n

10+

n

the WEB

to see addition events al

All Ages

Tuesday, February 4

Thursday, February 6

9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center

10:00 AM-10:45 AM Thursday Toddler Art: Once Upon A Story Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (3 week series) $32

10:00 AM-10:30 AM Story Time Child’s Play Toys 10:00 AM-10:45 AM Tuesday Toddler Art: Once Upon a Story Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (3 week series) $32

3:00 PM-5:00 PM Crafty Kids Oak View Library

10:45 AM-11:10 AM ToddlerTime Prairie West Library

4:00 PM-7:00 PM Kindergarten Registration & Screening Sign-Up Tea Area Elementary School

6:00 PM-7:15 PM Paper Airplanes Galore for Gradeschoolers Kenny Anderson Community Center

Wednesday, February 5

7:00 PM-7:35 PM Pajama Storytime Caille Library

Friday, February 7 10:00 AM-11:30 AM Fun and Fit Friday MariCar Community Center

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center

10:00 AM-10:50 AM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $75

10:05 AM-10:45 AM Lapsit Caille Library

10:30 AM-11:15 AM Paper Airplanes Galore for Preschoolers Kenny Anderson Community Center

6:30 PM-7:20 PM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $80

3:00 PM-4:00 PM Worldly Wednesday Prairie West Library 3:30 PM-5:30 PM Movie-Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Brandon Library 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Kids’ Zumba Kuehn Community Center 6:30 PM-7:30 PM Storm Dance Clinic for Preschoolers Morningside Community Center

21

3:00 PM-4:00 PM Theater Thursdays Prairie West Library

9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials

3:00 PM-4:30 PM Wii Oak View Library

fun

8:00 AM-11:00 AM Mallwalk-Walk N’ Roll Sioux Empire Mall Preregistration Required

n

TM

5:00 PM-8:00 PM Pavilion Free First Fridays Washington Pavilion

Saturday, February 8 9:00 AM-10:00 AM Going Back to Work Support Group Educated Mommy Preregistration Required

WOW! Check out our online calendar for additional events!

What to Do?

9:30 AM-11:30 AM Angry Birds!

Oyate Community Center 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Spectacular Saturdays: Acting Up: Games, Games, Games!

Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 6-7) $9

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

fun n Parent

n

0-3

n

4-6

Saturday, February 8 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Spectacular Saturdays: Pinch-a-Pet Pottery Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 8-10) $9 10:15 AM-11:00 AM Story Time Washington Pavilion 11:00 AM-11:35 AM Family Storytime Main Library

Monday, February 10 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 10:00 AM-10:20 AM Story Time Museum of Visual Materials 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Oak View Library 10:30 AM-11:30 AM Messy Mondays Kuehn Community Center 2:00 PM-7:00 PM Kindergarten Registration Harrisburg School District

WOW! Check out our online calendar for additional events!

6:30 PM-7:30 PM Storm Dance Clinic for Gradeschoolers Morningside Community Center

22 |

7:00 PM-7:35 PM Pajama Storytime Prairie West Library

Tuesday, February 11 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center 10:30 AM-11:30 AM Babywearing International Educated Mommy Preregistration Required 10:45 AM-11:10 AM ToddlerTime Prairie West Library 5:30 PM-7:30 PM Kidgits Hawaiian Valentine Sioux Empire Mall $5 (Free for Kidgit Members)

n

7-9

n

10+

n

All Ages

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Ronning Library

9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials

11:00 AM-3:00 PM Family FUN Festival Multi-Cultural Center

Thursday, February 13 8:30 AM-3:30 PM School’s Out: Theater Thursday!

Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 8-10) $35 8:30 AM-3:30 PM School’s Out: Theater Thursday!

Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 6-7) $35 10:00 AM-10:50 AM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $80 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center 10:30 AM-11:15 AM Toddler Valentine’s Day Party Kenny Anderson Community Center 1:00 PM-1:35 PM Preschool Storytime Ronning Library Preregistration required (Ages 3-5 only) 3:00 PM-5:00 PM Crafty Kids Oak View Library

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 1:00 PM-4:00 PM Beach Party!

Children’s Museum of South Dakota $6 non-members / Free-members

Tuesday, February 18 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center 10:00 AM-10:30 AM Story Time Child’s Play Toys 10:45 AM-11:10 AM ToddlerTime Prairie West Library

5:00 PM-7:00 PM Open House-Preschool & Kindergarten St Katharine Drexel School

Friday, February 14 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 6:30 PM-7:20 PM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $80

Is your child starting school this fa ll?

Check ‘Hoo calendar for d’s online Kinder Roundup date garten s.

Monday, February 17

3:45 PM-4:45 PM Afterschool Art Activity Museum of Visual Materials

7:00 PM-7:35 PM Pajama Storytime Caille Library

o thenWEB

9:30 AM-10:15 AM Lapsit Main Library 10:15 AM-11:00 AM Story Time Washington Pavilion

1:00 PM-2:00 PM Milk Monologues Educated Mommy

TM

Wednesday, February 12

Saturday, February 15

5:30 PM-7:00 PM Open House-Preschool & Kindergarten Christ the King School

Wednesday, February 19 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Kindergarten Round-Up Baltic Elementary 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Ronning Library

n

0-3

n

4-6

10:45 AM-11:20 AM Preschool Storytime Caille Library Preregistration required (Ages 3-5 only)

n

7-9

n

10+

n

All Ages

6:30 PM-8:30 PM Family Fitness Night Kuehn Community Center

Saturday, February 22 9:00 AM-9:50 AM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $80

3:00 PM-4:30 PM Wii Oak View Library

9:30 AM-10:15 AM Lapsit Main Library

3:00 PM-4:00 PM Worldly Wednesday Prairie West Library

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Spectacular Saturdays: Broadway Bound Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 8-10) $9

6:00 PM-9:00 PM Gluten Free Cooking Class Museum of Visual Materials Preregistration Required $20

Thursday, February 20 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Caille Library

10:00 AM-12:00 PM Spectacular Saturdays: Ooey Gooey Science Washington Pavilion Preregistration Required (ages 6-7) $9 11:00 AM-11:35 AM Family Storytime Prairie West Library 1:00 PM-3:00 PM

10:45 AM-11:20 AM Family Storytime Ronning Library 1:00 PM-1:35 PM Preschool Storytime Ronning Library Preregistration required (Ages 3-5 only) 3:00 PM-5:00 PM Crafty Kids Oak View Library

Summer Activities Fair Best Western Ramkota Stop by and the visit the ‘Hood booth!

Monday, February 24

3:00 PM-4:00 PM Theater Thursdays Prairie West Library

9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials

5:30 PM-7:30 PM Open House-Preschool & Kindergarten St Lambert School

10:00 AM-11:00 AM Day Play Museum of Visual Materials

5:30 PM-7:00 PM Open House-Preschool & Kindergarten St Michael School 5:30 PM-6:15 PM Toddler Gym Kuehn Community Center 7:00 PM-7:35 PM Pajama Storytime Caille Library

Friday, February 21 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Kids’ Zumba Oyate Community Center

10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Oak View Library 10:30 AM-11:30 AM Messy Mondays Kuehn Community Center

Tuesday, February 25 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-10:30 AM Story Time Child’s Play Toys

9:00 AM-4:00 PM Kids Craft Corner Museum of Visual Materials 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Morningside Community Center

fun

1:30 PM-2:05 PM Preschool Storytime Oak View Library Preregistration required (Ages 3-5 only)

Wednesday, February 26

10:05 AM-10:40 AM Preschool Storytime Oak View Library 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Ronning Library

23

3:30 PM-5:30 PM Bit of Wii Brandon Library

Thursday, February 27 10:00 AM-10:50 AM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $80 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Play Groups Kuehn Community Center 10:05 AM-10:30 AM ToddlerTime Caille Library 3:00 PM-5:00 PM Crafty Kids Oak View Library 3:00 PM-4:00 PM Theater Thursdays Prairie West Library 7:00 PM-7:35 PM Pajama Storytime Caille Library

Friday, February 28 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Imagination Playground Museum of Visual Materials 4:00 PM-5:00 PM Kids’ Zumba Oyate Community Center 6:30 PM-7:20 PM Little All Stars All American Gymnastics Academy Ages walking-6yrs (Punch card purchase required) $80

go to

o thenWEB

to see additio events nal

TM

WOW! Check out our online calendar for additional events!

n Parent

10:05 AM-10:35 AM Lapsit Prairie West Library

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Delivering RESULTS

ACE THE NEXT REPORT CARD WITH SYLVAN At Sylvan Learning, results matter. This report card is the last one you’ll have to worry about if you get started with Sylvan today.

Act now to take control of this school year.

Sylvan of Sioux Falls

605-362-4885

sylvanlearning.com/centers/57106 SYLVANLEARNING.COM

Meet our Winner!

Charie Jackson

mommy gets

Follow Charie’s journey on our website and Facebook page to get updates and blogs from our soon to be fit Mommy!

brought to you by:

TM

FITNESS & TRAINING CO.

24 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

by Jeremy Brech, Director, Museum of Visual Materials

family

Photo courtesy of Museum of Visual Materials

25

The Power of Play!

Children learn so much from interaction and using their hands. Imaginations soar and motor skills improve when kids create. By giving kids simple items such as building blocks, Legos, arts and crafts they begin to use their imagination more because there isn’t a TV or computer screen to stimulate their brains.

Educational programs are very important to children at young ages and as they grow older, but the most impactful is what they learn from the people and things around them. Small children notice the simplest things that adults and other children don’t realize they are doing.

Things such as using a loud voice, simple facial expressions, or hand movements are all absorbed by children.

When adults play, interact, and use their imagination, children will as well.

Interaction with other children is also very important for development. When children interact with other children, they start to develop motor skills at their own rate.

Think about when babies first discover themselves in the mirror. They start picking up the fact that this baby mimics them and they start to use more movement and facial expressions. It is very important to allow your children to interact with other kids in a play setting and in a safe environment.

Crafts and creative projects allow kids to use simple things to create masterpieces. Encouraging your kids to use their imaginations through arts and crafts gives them a sense of accomplishment and gives them a higher self-esteem. Being creative isn’t just about arts.

Think about when you have read a good book and then a movie comes out. The movie wasn’t near as great as the book was. That is because the directors and producers of the movies painted the picture in your mind and gave you their translation of the book. When you read, you use your imagination to write the film in your head. Kids at a later age begin to read more and paint their pictures in their mind as they read. The creativeness starts at a young age, and that is why it is important to read to kids at a young age. When children are young, simple things such as interaction, building blocks, crafts and reading help children develop creativity. Being around other children and playing with them will also help them develop to become great kids! n February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

child

‘Hood’s Teacher of the Year s

Mr. Nour Harrisburg Journey Elementary, 5th Grade

Visit

TM

o thenWEB

to download a thank you an printable teacher know d let your why she is great. he or

Kristi Shanks Photography

Kristi Shanks Photo graphy

is teacher because he Mr. Nour is the best arning really, really fun. le funny and he makes ons and he tells us stories ss le life ed.

He teaches us e don’t get distract do w so life to e lat re that will us learn. He usually He’s serious to help ng the funnest thing in arni anything to make le do funny things like act to es lik the world. He cool stuff. y all like us and do re ter S. Nominated by Car

26 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Teachers Going Beyond the Classroom: Paul Kruse, Lennox High School

Holly and Tracy are incred ible inside the classroom and in the community. They bring teaching alive with their upbeat lessons and are ver y active in their student’s lives. They are the first to volunteer for any Parent/Teacher init iative and community event. They are amazing coa ches for multiple sports. And in the classroo m, they bring real life lessons to help create we ll-rounded students.

Nominated by Jackson D.

child

Holly Peterson, Kinde rga Tracy Schmidt, Kinde rten rgarten, Tea Elementary

Lennox He [Mr. Kruse] is the shop teacher at house tin’s Aus t abou d High School and he hear t to wen He . help d coul he project and asked if d aske and n ratio inist adm his school board and ox Lenn in se hou tin’s Aus if his class could build est to be moved to Tea. This was a bold requ een betw ngs feeli d mixe the considering district Lennox and Tea residents because of the ovals splitting 10 year s ago. He got the appr and is currently constructing the home. tings He has spent numerous hours in mee rently, discussing plans and finalizing details. Cur rvissupe he spends countless hours in the cold m. drea a ing high school students to build : He is teaching two things to his students ion. pass Construction and Com

27

Nominated by Kristen D.

Other Outstanding Teachers MaryChar Erickson, 5th Grade, Harrisbu rg Explorer Elementary “I think my teacher is the best because she lets us have fun while learning! Mrs. Erickson teaches us proper grammar.” Nominated by Allison C. Jennifer Mieras, 5th Grade, St. Lambert Elementary “She believes that we can be successful, she believes kids can do it, so she inspires us to do the best of our ability.”

Nominated by Anger A. Lisa Huemoeller, Principal, St. Michael School “Being new is never easy, especially if you happened to change three schools within three months of each other...

She, in my opinion, has gone above and beyo nd (which I have noticed is “normal” for her) to make sure my children have felt safe and secure, while helping myse lf and my husband feel educated and supported.”

Nominated by Abby, Riley and Bria S. Wendy Reischl, Special Education, Lenn ox Middle School “We would love to nominate Mrs. Reischl as she has been a true blessing to us . . . [My son] has increased confidence and pride in himself.” Nominate d by Kerri P.

Jennifer Scholla, 3rd Grade, Lowell MST Elementary “My teacher is the best because she teach es so well and we are learning so much just because of her!

She is so nice and I would probily not make it in third grad e without her.”

Nominated by Lily W. Karen Dunker, Kindergarten, R.F. Pettigrew Elementary “It is obvious that Miss Dunker loves teach ing and her students. She goes the extra mile (or 10) to help them feel special and cared for.” Nominated by Noah D. Lindsey Lesnar-Lambert, Pre-K, Baltic Elementary “Ms. Lesnar spends many hours making thing s for her classroom so that each day when the stude nts come in there are new games to help them learn. In her classroom students are not even aware that they are learning because they are having so much fun.” Nominate d by Tyler O.

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

It’s time to register for Kindergarten!

Not sure if your child is ready for Kindergarten? All SFCS elementary schools offer FREE assessments for Kindergarten Readiness. If you would like your child screened please call one of our elementary schools to set up an appointment.

Christ the King School | 338-5103 Holy Spirit School | 371-1481 St. Katharine Drexel School | 275-6994

St. Lambert School | 338-7042 Saint Mary School | 334-9881 St. Michael School | 361-0021

Schedule a tour today! 605-575-3358

28 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Have faith in your child’s education.

by Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D, Sylvan Learning

How To Teach

Parents know that every waking moment for a child is a moment to teach them something new or help them develop a skill. But who knew you could easily incorporate a sequencing lesson during that bedtime story, cooking those Sunday morning pancakes or doing those weekly chores?

Sequencing — putting events, ideas, objects, places and even people in logical order — is an essential skill for children to learn. We all organize our busy daily lives with sequencing and understand our roles and places in groups through sequencing. Sequencing seems simple, but it’s one of those “higher-order thinking skills,” as teachers say.

Learners use sequencing as they apply steps to solve a math problem; it is also necessary for reading comprehension and required for good writing.

Here are a few ideas you can try at home to help your kids understand sequencing.

1. F iction sequencing. It’s helpful when reading to youngsters to stop occasionally — careful not to overdo it — and talk for a few moments about what you’ve read. Pretend you’re not too bright and ask questions. “I forget. What happened before Cinderella went to the ball? Afterward?”

2. N onfiction sequencing. This is especially important for subjects like history. There’s more brain power involved in knowing the chronological order of the presidents than you’d think. Sequencing helps kids put history in context.

3. K itchen sequencing. Recipes are nothing more than sequencing steps, although it’s especially nice that they result in something yummy. Read a recipe together, and then ask your kids to help you create something tasty.

“What should we do next?”

4. C hores sequencing. When you’re washing the car together, figure out the best order to accomplish it. Top to bottom? Wheels first? Windows? What should come first? Then what? Why? 5. H obby sequencing. Have your kids explain how they maintain their favorite hobbies. How do they paint those landscapes? Build those model spaceships? Create

family

Sequencing Skills at Home

29

those online videos? If you can understand the process, they’re doing a good job of sequencing.

6. S ports sequencing. Explaining a sport — not to mention playing it — requires sequencing skills. Ask about the rules for just about any sport, and you’ll begin a conversation that involves sequencing.

7. F amily history sequencing. Ancestry is family sequencing, and family trees are the very definition of sequencing in picture form. Tell your family history, or learn it together, and draw your family’s ancestry tree.

Plus, you’ll learn so many good stories as you talk to your older relatives and hear their stories.

8. D irection sequencing. Ask your kids to give you directions to their best friend’s house, how to get from their homeroom to the cafeteria in their school or where to find a hidden treasure in the back yard. (“First you go to the big fir tree. Then you take seven steps to the left. After that, you turn right and head to the swing set.

Finally, look next to the left rear leg of the swings.”)

9. H omework sequencing. Together, figure out the most effective sequence of homework time. “Math can be difficult, so I’ll start with that. The book report is due next week; have I read today’s chapter? Do I have all my supplies nearby?”

10. P rediction sequencing. This can be fun when you’re discussing a book you’re reading together, a movie you’re watching or a TV series the family is following.

“What’s going to happen next? Then what? Why do you think so?”

For some kids, I find it helpful to write the steps of a process on flash cards. Decorate the flash cards, shuffle them and then put them in order. No reason why sequencing can’t be fun, right? n February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

eats

Sweet treats

Gluten Free Valentine Chex® Mix Ingredients

Chocolate Ricotta Mousse

• 9 c Rice Chex® Mix • 1 c white chocolate almond bark • 1/2 c peanut butter • 1/4 c butter • 3/4 c powdered sugar • 1/2 c red, white and pink candycoated chocolate candies • 1/4 c red or pink jimmies/sprinkles

Ingredients • 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped

• 15 oz container partskim ricotta cheese • 1/4 c fat free half & half • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • Raspberries or small strawberries (optional) • Mint leaves (optional)

Directions

*Additional Ideas* Look for decorated cellophane bags in craft or paper goods stores. Fill bags with mix and tie with festive ribbons for a Valentine’s Day gift.

Dip the top of a flat bottomed ice cream cone in melted white chocolate, and then dip in red or pink sprinkles. Let chocolate harden and then fill cones with mix.

30 |

stockpilingmoms.com

Place cereal in a large bowl. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.

Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

Place 1/2 of the cereal mixture in 1-gallon food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir candies and sprinkles into remaining cereal mixture. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 15 minutes.

In serving bowl, mix both cereal mixtures. Store in airtight container.

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

PBJ Hearts Ingredients • 1 -in and 3-in heart-shaped cookie cutters • 2 slices bread • 1 tbsp peanut butter • 1 tbsp strawberry jam/jelly

Directions Cut out both slices of bread with the 3-inch heart cookie cutter. Cut a 1-inch heart shape from the center of one slice of bread; discard scraps.

Spread the solid heart bread slice with the peanut butter. Top with cut heart bread slice and fill small heart opening with jelly.

Directions Place chopped chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on 70% power (mediumhigh) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave on 70% power for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until chocolate is melted, stirring every 15 seconds.

In a food processor bowl, combine cheese, half & half, and vanilla. Cover and process until combined. Add melted chocolate while food processor is running. Process until well combined. Spoon into demitasse cups or small bowls.

Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to 24 hours. If desired, garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves.

pandoradeals.com

Red Velvet Milkshakes

and not cake batter, so it is stiffer and won’t pour.

Ingredients • 1 box red velvet cake mix • 2 eggs • 1/3 c canola oil • 1/4 c powdered sugar • About 36 Hershey’s® Kisses (any kind), frozen

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium size bowl combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil.

Blend with hand mixer for about 2 minutes or until mixed well. Scoop out spoonfuls of dough into the muffin tins filling them about ⅔ of the way. Remember, this is cookie dough

Chocolate Ravioli Hearts Ingredients • 1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust • 1 egg white • 1/2 tsp water • 15 Dove chocolate hearts (dark or milk) • 5 tbsp seedless red raspberry preserves • 15-30 fresh red raspberries

Special Equipment Needed: • Rolling pin • 2-in and 2 1/2-in heart shaped cookie cutter • Pastry brush • Baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Ingredients • • • •

1 c vanilla ice cream 3 tbsp red velvet cake mix 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 c milk

Directions Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Add more or less cake mix to liking (will alter color and flavor). Cake batter flavored ice cream can be used for a more “cake-like” flavor.

eats

Red Velvet Cupcake Cookies

Bake for 10-12 minutes and remove from oven when edges darken and firm up. The middles might be a little underdone, but try not to overcook them or they will get dry and crumbly. Let the cookies sit in the pans for about 2 minutes until they are firmed up enough to remove. Then run a knife around the edge of each cookie and gently pry it out. Line the cookie muffins up on a cooling rack and sift powdered sugar over the top. Put wax paper or paper towels underneath cooling rack for easier countertop cleanup. Gently press a Hershey® Kiss into each cookie, pressing down far enough that you feel it kind of sink in but not so far that you break the cookie apart.

31

*Additional Tips* Spread cream cheese frosting on cookies instead of powdered sugar, top with sprinkles.

Freeze Hershey’s® Kisses in advance so they don’t melt on top of the cookies.

Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil.

Thaw one pie crust according to package instructions. Unroll onto a work surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough from its current 11 ½ inches to 12 ½ inches, just to thin it out. Cut 15 large hearts using the 2 ½-inch cookie cutter and 15 small hearts using the 2-inch cutter, re-rolling the dough as needed.

Set the 15 small hearts on the prepared baking sheet. Whisk egg white with water in a small bowl.

Set one chocolate heart on each of the small dough hearts. Brush egg wash on the dough around the chocolate heart (or brush egg wash over the entire surface of the dough and place a chocolate heart on top – just do a few at a

Sweet treats time or the egg wash will dry.) Top each with one large dough heart.

Pinch the edges of the two dough hearts together to seal well. The top dough will overlap the bottom dough by a little bit. Use a fork to crimp all around the edges of each heart ravioli. Brush the top of the heart with egg wash, for a more shiny finish. If you want, you can even sprinkle of bit of plain or colored sugar over each ravioli.

Bake for 8-9 minutes until golden brown. Heat raspberry preserves in microwave for 10 second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.

Arrange chocolate ravioli hearts on a dessert plate and drizzle with raspberry preserves. Add some fresh raspberries and serve while the ravioli are warm.

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Plan your fun & free family activities with us!

Imagination Playground

Kristi Shanks Photography

family

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm These building blocks will give you your child a chance to create their own playground!

Kid’s Craft Corner

Monday – Wednesday 9am-4pm Come use our supplies and space to create whateve you would like! whatever

Story Time

Second Monday of every month 10am-10:20am We will be reading 2-3 children’s books that will be engaging and fun for your child.

Afterschool Art Activity

Third Tuesday of every month 3:45pm-4:45pm Each class we will be learning about a new artist and creating a new piece of art. Must RSVP 1 week in advance.

Day Play

Fourth Monday of every month 10am-11am Fun for five yr. olds & younger.

Sing songs, story time & activities!

For more information call 605-271-9500 www.sfmvm.com or facebook.com/sfmvm 500 N. Main Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57103

32 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

Read, Rea

In a world of high-tech gadgets and flashy, colorful screens, it’s hard for parents to convince their children to absorb the blackand-white pages of a regular book. However, Doniese Wilcox, Certified Family Life Educator at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, reminds parents of reading’s benefits and offers suggestions on how to raise an avid bookworm.

Raising children who enjoy books begins with taking time to read to them during their most formative years – as young as infancy. “If parents took just 10 minutes, twice a day, to read to their child, it would be a revolution in education,” said Wilcox.

“Reading is the initial key to anything.”

Reading on a regular basis increases vocabulary and helps in learning punctuation, spelling and grammar. It also helps with comprehension, such as understanding word problems in math.

Some books aim to teach the reader about life lessons, values or consequences. On a social level, taking turns to read aloud helps a child understand that another person gets to talk, and then he or she gets an opportunity to speak.

With so many benefits, why would a child reject reading? Some children put off reading due to an initial negative experience, such as stumbling over words while reading aloud with peers in class. Other children struggled when learning to read, and therefore, avoid it when possible. Many children are filled with energy, making a 20-minute reading break drag on forever! If you want your child to read more, ask yourself what may be preventing him or her from enjoying a book.

“Parents should set an example by regularly reading them-

by Alyssa Kuecker, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center

Does your ch ild difficulty read have ing?

Visit

All that’s separatingss?

you from succe A single

degree.

TM

o thenWEB for five signs undiagnosed of an vision problem.

ad, Read!

selves,” encouraged Wilcox. In addition, parents can set aside time each night to read together as a family. “It gives children of all ages a sense of security and instills reading as a family value that they can pass along to their future family.”

Wilcox gave several examples of where you can find reading material for your child at little or no cost. “Many bookstores have a book specialist who knows which reading material is appropriate for your child. Ask the librarian at your school or public library for a list of popular books to keep your child engaged and eager for the next book in a series. Many churches offer libraries, too. Visit scholastic.com for a list of recommended books. ”

At University Center, we know what you’re striving for: a better job with better pay.

But if you want a brighter future— you’re going to need a college degree.

Only UC gives you access to South Dakota’s state universities and the degree programs that build better careers—right in Sioux Falls.

Plus, University Center allows you to earn your degree for less. With UC Foundations, you can save up to $6000 on tuition while pursuing your associate or bachelor’s degree.

So what can University Center do for you and your career?

Find out and register at

www.SDUniversityCenter.org

Wilcox believes that even listening to books on tape while traveling in the car is beneficial to children. The exposure once again attracts children to a book’s plotline and pushes them to use their imagination.

Encourage your child to pick up books with topics to which he or she can relate. For example, if your child participates in basketball or ballet, a book about basketball or a character who dances will keep your child engaged. Subscribing to an age-appropriate magazine with a theme like sports or nature is another way for parents to make reading relevant to children.

“Set aside 20 minutes of reading time for your child each evening,” suggested Wilcox. “It may not be as hard as you think; most children will sit and enjoy it. Let your child create a reading space, and personalize it with a comfy pillow and blanket or a favorite stuffed animal.” n February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com |

33

parent

by Stephanie Spaan, Excel Achievement

Is Your Child Gifted?

We are all proud of our children and their accomplishments. But what does it mean to have a gifted child? First of all, I’d like to dispel the myths of what gifted isn’t.

So what does it mean to be gifted?

According to the research done by Dr. Bertie Kingore, author of Rigor and Engagement for Gifted Learners: Integrating Standards with Intellectual Integrity, there are seven main characteristics of giftedness.

• A dvanced Language: The student unassumingly and appropriately displays an advanced vocabulary and an ability to effectively use more complex language in a variety of situations.

Kristi Shanks Photography

• A nalytical Thinking: The student demonstrates complex or abstract thinking, notices a surprising depth of details about surroundings, and organizes collections of things uniquely.

• M eaning Motivation: Is philosophical and asks surprisingly intellectual questions. Is very curious.

The Myths: • G ifted children get straight A’s. This is simply not true.

Being gifted comes with its own set of issues that need to be addressed and helped just like any other learning difference.

• B eing in a gifted program is a privilege and a student needs to earn that with good behavior. Again, false.

Good behavior and giftedness have really nothing to do with one another. We would never keep an academically struggling child out of a resource that provides help; therefore, we should not leave out our gifted children who have their own needs.

34 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

• P erspective: Explains another’s point of view, creates complex shapes, patterns, or graphics, and adds interesting details to enhance products.

• S ense of Humor: The student is witty and can often catch on to adult humor. Can also “play” with language.

• S ensitivity: Cares deeply and has intense concern for human issues. May also display a strong sense of fairness • A ccelerated Learning: Can learn new things quickly with minimum practice If you feel that your child is gifted, I highly recommend that you visit with your child’s classroom teacher about what you are seeing. Parents are also encouraged to nominate their children to be evaluated for a gifted program. n

Online Scheduling NOW AT SANFORD

SHE’S SICK. YOU’RE UP.

Schedule your appointment online.

You know a trip to the physician is in order. Now you don’t have to wait until morning to make the appointment with access to online scheduling at Sanford Health.

Schedule Same Day or routine appointments in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, OB/GYN or Internal Medicine online at mysanfordchart.org.

Choose connected care. Choose Sanford.

This feature is available through My Sanford Chart, and allows you to manage your family’s health in your own time. You can make your own appointments for primary care needs from anywhere, at any time, day or night.

Use a computer or mobile device, see when your physician is available and select the time that works best for your family.

Apple, the Apple logo and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

100-11395-5784 12/13

parent

by Shaina Herrrmann, http://shainasdeals.com

Sioux Falls

Winter Activities for Kids

The harsh, cold, and unfavorably long South Dakota winter still has a ways to go!

Fortunately there are several free and low cost opportunities in Sioux Falls for kids of all ages.

1. T here are free story times for young children at many of the libraries, Barnes & Noble, and Child’s Play Toys.

Call or check their websites for dates and times.

otography Kristi Shanks Ph

2. F ree playgroups are available at the Morningside Community Center for children preschool age and under.

3. T he first Friday of every month from 5pm to 8pm there is free admission to the Kirby Science Discovery Center and the Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion.

4. T here is a free Kids Craft Room at the Museum of Visual Materials open from 9am to 4pm every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

5. T he Outdoor Campus offers free nature and sport classes to children ages 3-12. They also offer family classes for all ages. Register online, call, or sign up at The Outdoor Campus. If the classes are filled, you can sign up to be on a waitlist!

6. E very Friday night, Star Performance Complex has a Kids Night Out for $15 per child. From 7pm to 10pm they provide pizza, drinks, crafts, inflatables, activities, movies, and more!

Must preregister online by noon on the day of the event.

7. K uehn Community Center hosts Messy Mondays every week for toddlers

36 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

ages 2 and 3 to explore sensory objects such as flubber, paint, bubbles, dough, and more! The class is $5 and you will need to register five days in advance.

8. Carousel Skate is open Friday through Sunday and the cost is only $6-$7, depending on the time. Check their website for hours.

9. S ioux Falls has six free outdoor ice rinks located around the city!

Each rink has a warming house, skate rentals, and concessions available.

Locations and times are listed at siouxfalls.org.

10. I ndoor Ice and Recreation Center on W. 51st St. is only $3 per child (under 18). Skate rentals are an additional $3. Check siouxfalls.org for hours of operation.

11. W est Mall 7 movie theater shows movies all day, every day, for only $3 per person! Popcorn, candy, and drinks are also affordable. n

visit

o thenWEB

Check out ‘H calendar ood’s online times of thfoesr dates and e ac and more. tivities

TM

SUCCEED TOMORROW.

ENROLL TODAY.

New classes start March 3.

We’re a great Summer Camp and so much more!

• Several weeks of Summer Camp Several weekS • We host a wide variety of groups of Summer Camp • Year round lodging in two lodges Hosting a wide variety of groups with five year round cabins Year ‘round Lodging in: • RV campground and more!

Two lodges, Five year ‘round cabins RV Campground, and more.

START SOMETHING GREAT. kilian.edu

Inspiration Hills Summer Camps 1242 280th ST. Inwood, IA 51240 Phone: 712-986-5193 • inspirationhills.org February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com |

37

directory parent Thumbprint Jewelry Custom Hand Stamped Jewelry

Find us on

Ph. 605.450.0261 shfeldy@hotmail.com www.sagebrushdesignsbyshelli.com

Craft shows . Parties . Fundraisers Showers . Outside orders Mention Hood Jenn Jenson magazine for Inwood, IA 51240 FREE shipping!

712-753-4342 jjenson@alliancecom.net

TM

MARCH

SUMMER Camp issue

Deadline is February 5th Contact Steff at 605-366-1479 or steff@thehoodmagazine.com to get your camp listed.

38 |

February 2014 | thehoodmagazine.com

For people who

love their pets!

February is

Our storeHealth offers aMonth variety Dental of services including: • Grooming

Get a FREE teeth brushing • Boarding with every groom or bath!

• Daycare • Obedience Training

3509 West 49th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57106 For people who 605-361-0006 love their pets! www.minicritters.com Our store offers a variety of services including:

Call your Avera clinic.

New patients, call 32-AVERA (322-8372).

AveraSameDay.org Available in Sioux Falls and participating area Avera clinics.